He handed the young man a new best-selling Spencer Johnson book called The Present. He read the tagline aloud: "The Gift That Makes You Happier and More Successful at Work and in Life, Today!"
The young man gazed at the wizened old shift manager for a moment, then slid the book into his trash can. They both finally broke the awkward silence with a roaring laugh.
"Thanks," the young man said. "I really needed that."
Just then, from a corner of the office came heavy, pounding footsteps. It was Mr. Big. The boss strode purposefully past the janitors, but then suddenly stopped. "Young man, is that you?"
"It's me, sir," the young man answered in full executive vice president mode.
"I heard about all the terrible stuff that you've endured lately. What happened?"
"Well, sir," the young man answered. "I say this with all due respect, but frankly, all this started when you told me to read The One Minute Manager."
"My goodness, son! You actually read that book? Are you crazy? Those business fables are poison. Nobody actually reads them; they just buy them and throw around a few of the terms!"
"But, sir, you told me to read it."
"That can't be. I would never say...oh, my! You're right."
"But why?!"
"I must have gotten carried away in my managerial showboating! Please forgive me! I'm so ashamed!"
"You ruined me! In four short weeks and three fables!" the young man cried.
"I make this solemn pledge to you, young man: You will come back to your job as executive vice president, and I will clear your record. But first, I must ask that you attend a six-week course that will help wash away any memories of those books."
Then Mr. Big drew the young man in for a businesslike bear hug. All was forgiven. The years passed and Mr. Big retired, but not before choosing the young man as his successor. The young man flourished and successfully remained in the top spot for years to come. And he did it all because he never read another business fable again. It was that easy.
By Kenneth Blanchard and Spencer Johnson (Berkley Books, 1983)
Comes with a handy crib-notes flowchart on the back page: Have your employees set one-minute goals (written on one sheet, read in one minute). For every goal that's achieved, offer up a one-minute praising. If the goal isn't achieved, give a one-minute reprimand. Rinse and repeat. Business should be fast, but not this fast.
By Spencer Johnson (Putnam, 1998)
The much-discussed cheese of the title is a metaphor for what we want in life. Cheese moves, so get ready. Know when the cheese is going to move (try smelling it, the book suggests). Savor new cheese, but not too much -- inevitably, it'll move again. Basically, embrace change no matter what and enjoy it. It's easy to gag on this cheese.
By Stephen C. Lundin, Harry Paul, and John Christensen (Hyperion, 2000)
Despite working in a smelly, dirty, rough place, the guys at Seattle's Pike Place Fish Market made their jobs productive and fun. You too can create a sunny, blissful office environment no matter how bad the place stinks. Just don't annoy everyone by taking the "throw the fish" metaphors too literally.
By Spencer Johnson (Doubleday, 2003)
Don't live in the past; don't sweat the future. Rather, learn from the past and plan for the future. Do this, and you will experience pure happiness right now. Thus Johnson's present (as in wrapping paper and bow) to readers is the present (as in today). Operators are standing by. All sales are final.
By Adrian Slywotzky (Warner Business Books, 2002)
There are no quick-and-easy, large-print formulas here (and we're forever grateful). Slywotzky intelligently deconstructs how successful profit makers such as Microsoft and Intel achieve healthy margins. Even better, he instructs readers on the first page to read only one chapter a week so the lessons can soak in. After reading a dozen of these books, how nice to have real lessons to absorb.
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